Attorney-General lays tribunal bill to revive public tribunals in justice system reform

The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has formally presented the Tribunal Bill 2026 in Parliament, proposing the re-establishment of tribunals as part of Ghana’s justice delivery system to improve access to justice and reduce pressure on the courts.

If passed, the Bill will create a new structure of Regional and District Tribunals to operate alongside the existing court system, handling selected criminal and civil matters under clearly defined constitutional safeguards.

The Bill has already been read for the first time and referred to the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee and the Judiciary Committee for detailed scrutiny. The Attorney-General also held consultations with the joint committee last week as part of the legislative review process.

According to the explanatory memorandum accompanying the Bill, the proposed law seeks to establish the legal framework for tribunals in line with the Constitution, including provisions for their establishment, jurisdiction, composition and operational procedures.

It also proposes the creation of a Tribunal Oversight Committee to ensure proper governance, accountability and compliance within the system.

The government says the initiative is designed to revive a defunct aspect of Ghana’s justice system and restore a structured mechanism for faster adjudication of cases.

One of the key motivations behind the Bill is the need to reduce the growing backlog of cases in Ghana’s traditional courts.

The memorandum notes that tribunals previously provided for under Article 126 of the 1992 Constitution have become inactive over time, creating a gap in the justice delivery framework.

By reintroducing tribunals, the government hopes to enhance efficiency in case management, speed up judicial processes and improve public access to justice, particularly in regions where court congestion remains a challenge.

The proposed tribunal system is also intended to support the handling of specialised cases that require technical expertise or expedited resolution.

These include matters involving economic crimes, financial losses to the state and offences that demand swift judicial attention.

The Bill further seeks to promote citizen participation in justice delivery in accordance with constitutional provisions that allow for public involvement in adjudication processes through recognised legal structures.

The Tribunal Bill introduces a two-tier system, comprising Regional Tribunals and District Tribunals, both operating under the Judiciary.

Regional Tribunals will have powers equivalent to the High Court in specified matters and will exercise concurrent jurisdiction in selected criminal cases.

These include offences under laws such as the Criminal Offences Act, Narcotics Control Commission Act, Income Tax Act, Customs Act, and Minerals and Mining Act, among others. They will also handle cases involving economic fraud, loss of state property and offences against public interest as may be determined by Parliament.

District Tribunals, on the other hand, will exercise jurisdiction similar to Circuit Courts in specified criminal matters, excluding treason, capital offences and other indictable crimes.

To ensure compliance with constitutional standards, the Bill places tribunals under the administration of the Judicial Council, working in consultation with a proposed Tribunal Oversight Committee.

It also introduces codes of conduct, disciplinary procedures and clear rules governing the appointment, retirement and removal of tribunal members.

Importantly, decisions of tribunals will be subject to appellate review, ensuring that litigants retain the right to challenge outcomes within the formal court system.

The proposed law explicitly excludes certain categories of cases from tribunal jurisdiction.

These include matters involving constitutional interpretation under Article 130, human rights violations, and other cases specifically excluded by law.

The Bill is designed to complement rather than replace the existing court structure, ensuring alignment with Ghana’s constitutional framework.

The Tribunal Bill 2026 is currently under consideration by the relevant parliamentary committees, which are expected to conduct detailed analysis before it proceeds to further stages of debate.

If approved, the legislation is expected to significantly reshape Ghana’s justice delivery system by introducing a faster, more decentralised adjudication framework aimed at improving efficiency and access to justice across the country.